Construction system having corner core blocks and decorative face blocks

Abstract

A construction system using core blocks having a horizontal front mounting recess in the front surface defining a core detent lip, and face blocks having a horizontal rear mounting recess defining a face detent lip, and connectors for supporting stacked courses of the face blocks suspended on the front surfaces of stacked courses of core blocks, the connectors having a rear hook and a front hook, wherein the face blocks are each supported by their rear surfaces with at least one connector, by engagement of the front hook with the face detent lip and engagement of the rear hook with the core detent lip.

We claim: 
     
       1. A construction system comprising:
 a plurality of core blocks, each core block having: a front surface; a rear surface; a top surface; a bottom surface; a left side surface; and a right side surface, the top and bottom surfaces adapted for engaging the core blocks together in stacked courses with adjacent side surfaces, each core block having a horizontal front mounting recess in the front surface with a uniform cross-sectional profile having a front opening, an upper core pocket extending rearward and upward from a top edge of the front opening defining a core detent lip, and a core base extending rearwardly from a bottom edge of the front opening to the upper core pocket; 
 a plurality of face blocks, each face block having: an exposed front surface; a rear surface; a top surface; a bottom surface; a left side surface; and a right side surface, the rear surface of each face block having a horizontal rear mounting recess with a uniform cross-sectional profile having a rear opening, an upper face pocket extending rearward and upward from a top edge of the rear opening defining a face detent lip, and a face base extending rearwardly from a bottom edge of the rear opening to the upper face pocket, and wherein each face block has a center of gravity located at an eccentric distance from the rear surface; 
 a plurality of connectors for supporting stacked courses of the face blocks suspended on the front surfaces of the stacked courses of core blocks, the connectors having a rear hook and a front hook; 
 wherein the face blocks are each supported by their rear surfaces with at least one connector, by engagement of the front hook with the face detent lip and engagement of the rear hook with the core detent lip; and 
 wherein the horizontal rear mounting recess of a corner face block has a closed end adjacent to one of: the left side surface; and the right side surface. 
 
     
     
       2. The construction system according to  claim 1 , wherein the connector includes a bottom surface engaging the core base of the front mounting recess. 
     
     
       3. The construction system according to  claim 2  wherein the bottom surface of the connector is convex and the core base is concave. 
     
     
       4. The construction system according to  claim 1  wherein the connector has a uniform cross-sectional profile. 
     
     
       5. The construction system according to  claim 4  wherein the connector is a hollow tube. 
     
     
       6. The construction system according to  claim 4  wherein the connector is extruded from one of: plastic; rubber and aluminum. 
     
     
       7. The construction system according to  claim 1  wherein one of: the left side surface; and the right side surface, of the core block includes a horizontal mounting ridge for supporting the face block by the rear surfaces by engagement of the horizontal mounting ridge with the face detent lip. 
     
     
       8. The construction system according to  claim 7  wherein the rear surface of the core blocks includes a slot for receiving the horizontal mounting ridge of an adjacent core block. 
     
     
       9. The construction system according to  claim 1  wherein the horizontal rear mounting recess of the face block extends from the left side surface to the right side surface. 
     
     
       10. The construction system according to  claim 1  wherein each core block has protrusions and grooves in one of the top and bottom surfaces for interlocking the core blocks together in stacked courses.